Avenging L
by Pen-to-Page
Summary: After L's death Mello sets out on his own to acheive what L could not. What if he is forced to work with Near? Could they be the ultimate successor? (Not a slash fic of mello and near)
1. The Letter (1)

Mello threw himself to the bed, sobs shaking his body. For once he was glad that his roommate was not inside. He couldn't let Matt see him like this. So broken, and over what? The death of the only father figure, no matter how mysterious, that any of them had.

_How could he die? _He kept repeating in his mind._ He said he was going to put Kira to justice!_

He continued to sob into his sheets. Everything playing over again, Roger so uncharacteristically depressed, telling Near and himself that L was dead.

Near, stupid Near! Didn't he get it!? All he said was some riddle of puzzles and losers, and now HE's the one to success L? He doesn't even care!

Though, Mello must now admit to himself, that he gave Near that title. Roger had offered both of them take on the case, but Mello refused. He couldn't work with Near. Someone so cold and uncaring, so emotionless.

He had also said that he was leaving. Shit, he should be leaving soon. Collecting what was left of his broken soul, he got up off the bed and threw everything he had into one small rucksack. The same one he came with, holding most of the same contents, clothes, chocolate, and a rosary. He scribbled a note to his best friend. To tell Matt that he would not be returning, warning him as well not to come looking for him. He let one last sob fall through him, then suppressed the rest.

If he was going to catch Kira, he was going to have to stop crying. This wasn't a stupid test at Wammy's, where he would be stressing over beating Near. No this was the real world now, there were more consequences to failure, more reward to success. Should he capture Kira on his own, he will have done what L did not. He will have avenged L also, and would have shown all of Wammy house that he is the ultimate successor. He would beat Near. But now, beating Near seemed unimportant when piled up with the rest of the rewards. The only reason that he wanted to beat Near now, was because Near failed to care that L had died.

On the other hand, should he fail, the consequences come heavier than simply being second again. He knew what his goal was, and that failure, could not be an option. His only goal to _Kill Kira, or die trying. _

He didn't know anything about the case, Roger didn't tell him. He guessed that Near would be told anything L had figured out, seeing as it was now his job to take over the case. Mello would not have that advantage. He would have to start from scratch, or at least that's what he thought. He heard the crunch of gravel as a black Rolls Royce pulled up next to him. Mello watched as Roger rushed out into the rainy night.

"Mello…" he said in a concerned tone.

"I'm not staying Roger. I'm going." He confirmed.

Roger shuffled uncomfortably on his feet, then pulled an envelope out of his pocket.

"If you're going to work the case I want you to have the same starting ground. It's just not safe otherwise." He stretched out his hand, offering the envelope to Mello, who took it and put it in his rucksack.

"Thanks, I guess."

Roger let out a heavy sigh, "You're sure there's no way I can make you stay? None?"

"Not even all the chocolate in the world." Mello refused to stay at Wammy's House.

"Alright then. Goodbye and good luck. I hope you make good use of the envelope." Roger gave a nod of his head and drove off back up the driveway. Mello rushed over to a tree and hid under it. He took out a small flashlight that he was happy that he packed and took the envelope in his other hand.

Careful not to tear the contents, he tore open the package to see what was inside. The first thing he saw was money, by the look and feel of it maybe about 10 000 pounds. The next thing inside was a letter, labelled top secret. Mello took a huge breath and unfolded it.

_Successor,_

_ By the time that this is being read it will be known that L has died. It is now up to you to continue on the Kira case. Roger will have already spoken to you about whether or not you feel capable of such a task. _

_L could sense that the end was drawing closer, so in case it has happened he asked that I prepare two letters that are identical. It contains the information you may need to stop Kira. _

_L has found the weapon at this time, but should this letter be read by anyone other than the two recipients intended, he has asked that I not disclose it. However I may give these hints approved by him: _

**_In my possession but not. _**

**_Blank, just blank. _**

**_Read on._**

**_Beyond Birthday, correct. _**

_That is all that L has agreed to share with you. He has asked me to warn that neither of you can succeed where he has failed unless you compare results. Best of luck. Stay safe. _

* * *

**Author's note: **I hope you like it! Reviews always welcome!


	2. Leaving Wammy's

Mello read over the hints several more times. _So the weapon is with the people he worked with, that's simple enough_, he reasoned. _Shit, who was he working with…he TOLD us this…uhm, _he struggled on the idea. All he remembered was that one day, three years ago, he announced that he was going to solve the Kira killings. After that they rarely heard from him. He called in last October to give Mello and Near a special assignment. At the time he said that he was working for the… the…

"Having problems with the letter too?" came a soft voice from behind him.

Mello whipped his head around to see a small white haired boy standing behind him, his white pyjamas soaked by the rain,

"What?" he grunted through gritted teeth.

"The letter. The hints? Are you having issues with it aswell?" he asked monotonically. "Your position and frustrated look would tell me that you are angry for not understand-."

"Shut up, Near."

"I was coming to see if you had already left. L doesn't think we can solve it unless we-."

"I READ THE LETTER OKAY?! I KNOW WHAT L THINKS!" He bellowed.

"I just thought that maybe, you might have changed your mind. Perhaps we could start by finding out what the weapon is." Suggested Near, holding up his identical letter.

Mello thought for a while. He needed to know what the weapon is, perhaps working with Near, even if only until they find out what the object is, wouldn't be so bad. He let out a sigh of defeat.

"Perhaps we could help each other with the hints. But at this time I make no promise to work with you on the case." He stated.

"Okay. So I also assume that, if you still refuse to work with me, you will also not return to Wammy's, correct?"

"Correct."

"Alright." Near walked over and sat down next to Mello. He brought one knee up to his chest and started to twirl a finger through his hair.

Mello shone the flashlight over his page again, letting Near use the light to read his letter as well. Once both boys had re-read their letters they looked at eachother.

"Well whatever it is, it's with the Japanese task force, now lead by Sochiro Yigami " Near said, matter-of-factly.

"Yes, that is what I was thinking." Mello was glad that Near could remember where L worked, even though he was also annoyed that he was the first to understand it.

"As for the others… they require more thinking. Perhaps by 'read on' L is suggesting that the answer is in a book we have read?"

"Maybe, have we read any books on weaponry?"

"Blank, just blank…perhaps L is also suggesting that it is a blank book?" Mello could tell that near was mostly talking to himself.

"A blank book? How could that be a murder weapon?" He scoffed passing off the younger boy's idea.

"You're right, it does not make sense."

"How about Beyond Birthday?" Mello asked, "What could that mean?"

"LABB. Year four, case study. L worked on a seemingly impossible case. The killer BB, known also as Beyond Birthday. He was a Wammy kid." Near said, as though he had been reading it from a book.

Mello became aggravated by the albino. How could he remember everything. Especially that case! They went over that case years ago. Mello was interested in it at the time, but since then had forgotten it. Frantically Mello started rummaging through his mind to remember everything he could about Beyond Birthday.

_He was crazy, said he was born with the eyes of a shinigami….wait…blank book, notebooks. The notebook, Beyond Birthday, correct about what? Having the eyes of a shinigami? Does this mean L has come to realize that shinigami exsist? Perhaps, it makes sense if he's saying that BB was correct. But how do shinigami and notebooks connect? _

"Beyond Birthday being correct about the shinigami eyes, I think. L somehow on this case has found that BB was born with shinigami eyes, therefore L must know that shinigami exist." Mello told Near who nodded.

"Impressive, I would not have thought that. But now that I think of it, it seems more than possible that that is what L was talking about."

"As for blank and read on, a notebook." Mello added to the new found thought.

"I already said that. But how do a notebook and a shinigami relate?" Near seemed to ponder the thought for a long while. This annoyed Mello. Infact, he was about to punch him when Near spoke up again. "Perhaps the notebook belongs to a shinigami? We already know that Kira needs to know the names and faces of the people he kills. Perhaps writing the names in the shinigami notebook IS how he kills people?"

He hated to admit it to himself, but that almost made sense. Infact, given how long he had been thinking of it, it did make sense. "I suppose that makes sense. L would have it so that only you or I could think of it. And even we struggled."

"Yes, that was my reasoning behind most of it. That and L always said to 'think outside the box' well he did on that one day he taught a class."

"L TAUGHT A CLASS?! WHERE WAS I?!" Mello exploded, he had missed learning by L's hand? How?

"You were in the infirmary. It was in that week that you neither ate nor slept. When you were scarily addicted to studying."

"Why you little-." Mello cut himself off, not meaning to finish that sentence. They knew what the weapon was, now he could be free to go. "Well I suppose I'll be on my way now." He declared, getting up and walking away.

"I was hoping you would have changed your mind." Near muttered, sounding upset.

"No, not a chance."

"Very well. Can we at least promise to keep in contact with eachother. Perhaps share information now and again? It IS a complex case." Proposed Near.

"Perhaps, but it is unlikely." Mello turned again and continued down the driveway, the next words Near said almost escaped him, they were so quiet.

"Matt will be destroyed."  
...

Back in the building, Matt returned from the game room. No noise was coming from anywhere in the suite-like room that he shared with Mello for 6 years. This was not unusual, the blond was probably studying.

"Hey Mells, I'm going to shower, so don't use the bathroom, kay?" He called out, closing the sliding door.

He pulled off his favourite and most worn shirt, a light blue tee with Mario and Luigi on it. He looked in the mirror in dismay. He hated how he looked. Most boys by now had hit a growth spurt, and had lost their baby-faces. Not Matt. He still looked like he was ten years old, bright orange freckles covering his pale face. Hell his voice hadn't even dropped. He ignored it, and hoped into the shower, careful to grab the right shampoo this time, because god forbid that he use Mello's super lock-in-moisture-chocolate-scented-stuff that was probably meant for a girl. Complain as he might, he couldn't hide it from himself. He liked Mello, just looking at his beautiful blond best friend sent shivers down his spine. His shimmering blond hair and angelic blue eyes were enough to…

"Shit" he muttered, feeling himself harden, trying now to think of something else. He finished up his shower and dried off. He left his tee-shirt on the floor because he knew it would piss Mello off; he couldn't help it, Mello was cute when he was angry, until he got scary. He left his jeans there too, but pulled on his X-Box boxers and headed out into the main room.

"Mells? Wanna game?" The room did have a nintendo64 , but matt preferred the PS2 in the rec/game room.

No answer. God was he going to be stupid again? Matt walked right over to Mello's door and knocked. He didn't hear Mello say 'fuck off', so he assumed that it would be okay to enter. He swung the door open, but Mello was not at his desk. He saw something red on the pillow and went to go pick it up. It was a note.

_Matty. _

_L is dead. Near is going to succeeded him. I'm leaving. Don't come looking for me. _

_-Mello. _

Matt could feel his heart break. Why would Mello leave? And without consulting him first? He felt hot tears in his eyes. No, no this wasn't happening, Mello was just playing a joke on him.

"Haha Mello, very funny. Come out now." No answer.

"Seriously Mells, come on out, or I'll eat your chocolate." He taunted, backing towards the secret drawer where Mello hid his chocolate. Mello still didn't answer.

"Okay, here I go…" Matt opened the door and reached in to find that his hand made contact to the wooden bottom of the drawer. He looked, noticing that there was no chocolate in there.

His breathing quickened, he looked between the note and the vacant chocolate drawer. So he really has gone. He couldn't stop himself for what happened next. He burst out into tears and ran out of the room, down the hall and began to sprint down the driveway, not caring that he was still only in his boxers though the rain was cold against his bare chest. If he found Mello, perhaps he could convince him to stay.

As soon as he had started down the driveway he saw Near heading back, soaking wet and sad.

"Matt, he's gone."

"No he's not! You fucking LIAR!" Matt shouted.

"Matt, please. I met him halfway down the drive, he's probably out of here by now."

Matt ignored him, all he heard was that Mello was somewhere halfway down the drive, so he took off, running as fast as he could.

Now at the gates that separated Wammy's from the real world, Matt fell down, exhausted. He had not seen Mello in his run, which meant that he was out of the grounds. He would continue to run, but his feet were raw and he was shivering violently. He held his knees to his chest and rested his head so that he could cry.

The crunch of gravel was inaudible over the sobbing and the rain. Roger stepped out of the dark car and walked over to Matt, he held an umbrella that covered them both.

"Matt. You should come back inside. He's gone. I'm sorry."

Matt nodded his head and sat down in the passenger seat of the same car that brought him here when he was eight. He couldn't help but recognise the feeling. He was alone again, he lost someone that cared for him, and now he was in the same car, driving up the same driveway, on a rainy night feeling just as lost.

* * *

**Author's Note: **There's chapter two! Hope you like it. Reviews welcome!


	3. The Mafia

Mello had never been colder in his life. What made the matter worse was that he had only packed one other change of clothing, a shirt. Maybe he would have to spend some of the money by investing in some dry clothes. Or a place to stay, shit that's right! He needed somewhere to stay. And he still had no idea how he could capture Kira. All he knew was that Kira killed using a notebook, and he didn't even know that! All that did was give him something to believe, and whether or not it was wrong, he would believe in it. He needed some way to find the notebook. If the Japanese task force has it, kira shouldn't be able to use it, if the killings continue, then Kira must be on the task force. _I'll wait three weeks. _He thought, _if the killings have not stopped, then Kira must be on the task force. _But three weeks is a long time to go without a home, so where would he go in the meantime? The better question is where will he go at the end of those three weeks if the killings haven't stopped. How can he get information. He didn't care about morals of it, ends always justify the means, so if it was through an illegal way, he would not mind. _That's it!_ He thought. _I could use the mafia, I have the money to buy a ticket to get overseas, either New York or LA, biggest mafia areas. It all depends on preference now._ Seeing as he hated the cold, Mello decided that he would buy a plane ticket to the sunny west coast Los Angeles.

He waited in England for three weeks, grabbed scraps of newspaper from the garbage bins and tried to find any news he could on the Kira killings, it wasn't long before they started up again. After that day he started acquiring false documents for his trip. He lived off of very little food because he knew that his journey to Los Angeles would cost enough money. Once all of his papers were gathered he purchased a one way, one flight ticket to LA, packed up his things and left.

The plane ride was dull. There was only one movie playing, Finding Nemo, a stupid movie with a dumb plot and bright colours. _In other words _he thought _completely irrelevant to someone who lost their childhood. _He tried to take his attention away from the screen and found himself staring out of the plane window. It wasn't the first time he'd been on a plane. He flew in one once when he was little.

He was five and newly orphaned, flying from Russia to England on Watari's private jet. He closed his eyes for a little bit and tried to remember what he could about his parents. His mother, the doting, devoted artist, and his father the belligerent drunk, oh what a quirky family they made. He remembered his mother telling him to hide, and he remembered when his dad would hit him. He remembered the fire and how it engulfed everything, the house, his room, his mother, his father. He remembered it all so well.

He opened his eyes as if to remind himself that he was here, on a plane, at age 14. Not five. Heading to Los Angeles to join the mafia, get the notebook, and succeed L.

When the plane landed he rushed off in the crowds of people and out into the streets only to remember that he was all alone. Alone in one of the biggest and toughest places to be.

* * *

He spent a few days in the alley behind the Library. Entering the facility as soon as it opened, booting up one of their computers, and staying until the librarian kicked him out. He found a lot of old police reports of large drug trades, pimping and weapon trades. Through these he was able to pinpoint three areas that the mafia hit the most often.

He had it figured that approximately half of all the hookers on 42ndst belonged to the mafia, the other half were bought by the mafia for a night of fun. The drug trades happened in more remote areas in the desert, and the weapon trades happened somewhere in between those two. Now he only had to figure out how to get into the mafia.

On his first day he stole a motorcycle and drove out to where the weapon trades normally happened. He ditched the bike in the bushes and waited. Nothing had happened so he drove back into the city and spent a little money on feeding himself.

The next day he stalked the 'hookers corner' to watch for any activity. He had full face prints of each member and could identify them on sight. After several hours he was about to give in and go back to the Library when he thought he saw Jack Neylon, Zakk Irius, and Rod Ross step out of a large car and out onto the sidewalk. With them they had two girls who went to the corner and waved down cars. Neylon and Irius went to go see the girls that were waiting, while Ross kept looking. A tall dark man stepped out of the shadows and approached him, they exchanged in some conversation before all three men and their escorts left in the same car as they came in.

_So he's gay. _Thought Mello. _I could use that to my advantage._

As soon as the van was out of sight, Mello got out from the alley he was hiding in and took out some money. He walked over to the girl that he thought must've been the prettiest. When she saw him she started walking towards him, her hips swinging from side to side. She reached out and trailed a finger down his chest.

"How much for one night?" he asked her.

"For you baby, 150$" she winked at him, an action that really had no effect.

"Okay. Come with me." He really had no idea how this was supposed to work. Was he supposed to bring her back to 'his place'? Well, he knew that he wasn't going to have sex, just ask her some questions. She was one of the girls that Darry, Hender, and Rod Ross dropped off. They walked through town and got to a small, run down café. There were only two other customers and Mello thought that this would be as good a place as any to interview her.

"Here?" she asked. "It's kind of public, don't you think?"

"I didn't buy you for sex. I'm underage and not interested yet." He said bluntly.

"Wow, you're unlike any other underage boy I've ever met." She laughed.

"You have no idea." He sighed.

"So then why did you buy me? Not like I'm complaining or anything, I've been dying for a night off."

"You're one of Rod's whores, right?" he asked without even stopping to think about his interview skills that L taught.

"I have no idea who you're talking about." Her voice didn't faulter and she stayed straight. There was only one thing that gave away her lie. Her eyes for about a flash of a second glimmered with some sort of emotion.

"Please, don't lie to me." He said. "I'm giving you a night off, I would like to know about your boss and the mafia."

She sighed. "I'm not one of his whores. One of his guys bought me last night. I work for some other guy up town. Rod never fucks a girl. He's gay, but you wouldn't tell looking at him."

"Are you a regular?" he asked, hoping that she would still know a little bit about the organization.

"I guess you could say that." She said with a small hint of a smile.

He could almost feel himself about to lose control and ask a question too soon. "What's your name?" he figured once he had this girl's trust she would tell him everything he needed to know. But he couldn't go asking her about Rod, or the mafia. Not just yet

"Stella."

"No I mean your real name"

She smiled. "How can you always tell when I'm lying?"

"Call it a special skill." He answered with his best charismatic smile.

"Okay Mr. Twelve and skilled."

"I'm fourteen." Mello hated when people thought he was younger than he was.

"Sorry- Mr. Fourteen and skilled then." She teased. "My real name is Leah."

"I'm Micheal." He said. He stretched out his hand and she shook it.

"Tell me about yourself kid." She said leaning back in her chair. "You're interesting alright."

He proceeded to tell her his made up story of how his mother tossed him out on the street when he was litter and how he's been in and out of juvenile detention since he was eight. He talked about the guards and how they hit him, the other boys who he hit, and lies such as that. He told his 'story' through false tears that he could generate on command. He saw her wipe a few away herself. When he was finished she stood up and gave him a hug.

"I am so sorry Micheal." She said with a high voice that had cracked from crying. "People suck don't they?"

He nodded. "Yeah." He sobbed. "Yeah they do."

"What is it you wanted to know?"

* * *

The next day Mello followed Leah to 42nd street. She helped him pick out an entire new wardrobe that would, to quote her "have Rod drooling."

This mainly consisted of skin tight, black, leather pants that clung to the curves of his ass, a short leather vest that showed off his midriff, and leather gloves. He looked at himself in the mirror and for one of the first times in his life, he felt hot. Usually he's starve himself at Wammy's, but cry when the other boys said he was too skinny. This outfit showed off his ass which he had to admit was awesome, and his stomach. He felt sexy.

He waited again until dark when he saw the van pull up. Two girls were dropped off and two more picked up. This time Rod did not emerge from the car.

When the van left Mello hopped on his stolen motorcycle and followed them. Not so close as to be seen, but close enough to find where they went. Buildings flew by faster than he could've thought possible and the wind ran through his hair. Stolen bike? Yes. Stolen helmet? No.

He followed them through the desert roads, past all possible civilization and finally they turned into a building.

He stayed on his bike and waited for a while, before walking to the building and breaking in.

On the outside it looked like nothing more than a concrete brick, It was windowless and grey. However on the inside there were a few armed guards who noticed him right away.

"HEY!" One grabbed his arm and put it behind his back. He felt a gun pressed to his temple and another pressed to his forehead.

There were a few footsteps and Mello could see black shoes stop right infront of him.

"It's okay boys." Roared a deep voice. " He's just some kid."

The guns were removed and he was placed upright. They turned him around to face the man who spoke. Rod.

He noted that he was being checked out, Rod he reached out and took his wrist.

"Come on kid. Let's you and me talk."

* * *

**Author's Note: Hope you like it! Reviews are welcome! :) **


	4. The Mafia pt2

Mello was led to a dark room at what seemed to be the basement of the building. He was placed in a hard wooden chair and left. He was in that room for a long time. How long he wasn't sure; whether it was 4 hours, or 6 made no difference to him. He had a lot to think about. What he was going to do from here, whether they were going to kill him, how he could possibly manipulate the situation to work to his advantage. His cell phone buzzed a few times. It was his Wammy phone and he would discontinue it if he could. L had it so that these things went on forever, with no real service provider, only one made by Watari. They were the latest in technology at the time, invented by Watari, they ran off of no batteries and were solar powered. He remembered how excited Matt was when he got his. He was all over it. Matt. He still had a stone in his heart for what he did. Matt was his best friend, and even though he hated him sometimes, he was still one of the only people to ever see him cry. And certainly the only person he's ever cared to see cry.

Eventually , the door opened and light shone through. Someone switched on the main light and the room lit up. He turned around to see the man in the doorway, it was Ross, who else would it be? He turned around again waiting for Rod to sit opposite him, he would not give attention unless attention was given to him, that was his first plan.

"Turn around." Came the voice from behind him. He did not move.

"Come on now, turn around." He still refused to move, through his spirits were shaking. He stayed looking at the wall opposite him. There was a loud bang, and he watched as a bullet hit the wall only a few centimetres from where his head was. This was startling, but, resolved in his position, he stayed still.

"Fine then have it your way." Rod walked over and stood opposite him. "What's your name?"

"Micheal. My name is Micheal Dobton." He stated, looking now directly at Rod.

"Well," He threatened, "Micheal." He drew in a deep breath and continued on in his sentence. "You see, I'm running a very organized operation here, and you, you've kind of intruded."

"Have I?" he asked with a voice as calm as Near's.

"Yes you have. Now, I'm a fair man, see, and I don't believe you meant to. Did you mean to sneak in?"

"Well, surely I did, sir." He smiled.

"And why would you want to do a thing like that?" Rod asked, also playing the emotionless game.

"Interest Rod." He said, his smile widening, "Interest in you and your…organization."

"Oh?" Rod started with a little chuckle, "Well how cute. I love fans, but I'm afraid that I can't let you leave. Not now. You know where we are."

"Wouldn't want to leave. I'm trying to get in."

"You want in? What makes you think we need someone like you?" He laughed. "You thought you could just stroll down here and get in?"

"Yes, and I figured if I couldn't I could always kick your ass."

Rod stopped laughing. "See that's where you're wrong." He swung a hard, swift punch that hit Mello straight in the jaw. Two more followed one to the stomach and another to the groin. Rod had him off the chair and on the ground where he was being kicked and hit, and he wasn't fighting back. Even though each muscle told him to, he didn't.

"C'mon hot shot, fight me." Rod demanded sending another punch straight to the nose. Mello winced but still refused to fight, if he fought and lost, then there would be no way he could get in. "Fight me, I mean it, hit me." His anger was boiling up and was starting to take over his reason, he felt one hand move, but stopped it before a punch was formed. "Come on I mean it. Fight me, fight me." And that was it. Mello took his leg and wrapped it around Rod's waist. He squirmed, struggled and let his fists fly. He got several good punches in before he felt himself getting turned over. Rod pulled down the seat of his pants and Mello knew what was happening. He winced as he felt Rod force himself in and cried while he was rocked. When Rod finished, Mello pulled his pants up and turned face up to look at him.

"I like you. You can stay." Was all he said, before Rod turned around and left.

…  
He had to be Rod's personal whore for a while, perhaps around 8 months. Then he was put with the guys who were in charge of drug trafficking. He got busted on his first day out; but because it was his first offence and he was in the car the whole time, he was only sentenced to 1 year in juvenile detention. He got out in eight months for 'good behaviour' that's what everyone thought. No one else but him knew that it was because he screwed the warden. He went back to Rod at that time and was, to his surprise, welcomed back.

"We got the kid back everybody!" Rod announced and everyone cheered. Most people there liked Mello, he was smart, and everyone knew it, and he was aggressive. These things made him a very likeable person to the other members. Jack Neylon stood up and patted him on the back.

"Good to see that juvie didn't get to you."

"Never could." He smiled. "Those assholes should have listened, I told them the cops were making their rounds."

"Yeah well they're locked away and we need a few more people to take it over." Rod said bluntly.

"I wouldn't mind-" Mello started before he was interrupted,

"-No. You're in weapons. You get your own gun and everything." Rod told him.

"Sweet. Let's do this!" Mello exclaimed.

"Hold on kid." Laughed Jack. "You've been gone, sit down first, unwind, get some play before you get to work."

"What do you mean?" asked Mello. He watched as Neylon took out a small block of cocaine and began to crush it into thin lines.

"I mean." He said, focused, "Take some time to hype up. Hender's coming back with some fresh sluts. Boss said you could have one when you get back, I can sit out tonight." He rolled up a dollar bill and handed it to him. "Here, take some of this before, you'll feel great."

Mello knew what to do, he'd seen some of the guys snort. It was only a matter of 'should he do it'. He was prone to addiction, and a drug like this could fuck him up. If he got addicted, he wouldn't be able to solve the case. But the other guys were egging him on, and right now, solving the case meant blending in with these guys. So he lined up the rolled-up bill to the table and snorted.

It took about a minute for it to work, but when it did he felt like he could do anything. His heart started racing and he started fidgeting which was weird for him because normally he wasn't the type to move around a lot.

"Man I could punch Near in the face so hard right now!"

"Who's Near? Did he screw us over on some deal?" Asked Rod, suddenly interested.

"No he just sucks." Mello said. "Or….I could run him up a building and throw him off."

"Calm down kid." Smiled Neylon and a few other members laughed.

"Calm down? How? I feel so amazing!" Mello got up and started shifting on his feet. He wanted to dance, or jump, or run around the room, but he stayed on his feet, shifting. Hender came back with two girls, one was tall, blonde with long legs and big boobs the other was a brunette with a similar stature.

"Take your pick kid." Neylon showed Mello the girls sat back.

"I want the blonde one." He said full of enthusiasm.

"Take another line before you go." Neylon advised. Mello took his rolled up bill and snorted two more lines before he took his tall blonde and went into one of the private rooms. The last time he was in one of these rooms he was just a whore. But now, he had his own girl and couldn't wait.

"Is it your first time?" she asked him taking off her shirt and straddling him on the bed.

"Yep, never fucked anyone, been fucked though, not fun. Hope this is fun." He put one of his hands on the girl's boobs and squeezed it. She let out a small moan that made his already pulsing member harder.

"Don't worry then, I got you." She unzipped his vest and kissed across his chest and licked his nipples. He was starting to get painfully hard when she un-wove his leather pants and wrapped a hand around him. She jacked him off for a little while before licking him. He tangled his fingers into her hair and let out a moan. After a while he couldn't hold himself and he let the pre cum explode out of him. She sat up and rolled up her skirt. It was a terrifying sight. Well, perhaps not terrifying, but, gross. He looked away but plunged his dick into her. It felt good there was no denying that. But underneath him was a girl, with girl parts, _this is how sex happens right? A guy on top of a girl. _He thought. _Then why does it feel like something's missing? _

After he finished with her he was wiped out. He had never been more tiered in his life. Not even pretending to enjoy sex with Rod made him this exhausted. He was still confused as to why he felt like it wasn't as good as it should have been, aside from feeling good. But that didn't matter now. What mattered was that he was going to get a gun because now he was on the weapons deal. He ran down to his part of the building where he left his rug sack and got his money. He noticed a small slip of paper fall out, he picked it up, curious, and read it. _'Successor, By the time that this is being read it will be known that L has died' Oh shit._ He thought. _The case, how could I forget about that?! It's all I thought about in juvie! _He picked it up and put it back in his bag. He couldn't forget about the case. The mafia was a cover, these men were pawns, not friends. And he was here to capture Kira, not get high and have sex.


	5. A lot Changes in Four Years

He kept sleeping with Rod, even though his 'Whore Status' had been removed. After sex he would talk about his life, and eventually his secret was out. He was being called by Mello and people knew he was an orphan, that he was one of L's successors, and that he was going to capture Kira.

It wasn't long after that when Mello started dropping hints in bed. He had to convince Rod that it was HIS idea to get the notebook, but that was going to be a hard thing to do. It would mean stopping most of the major trades they had going, all their money and attention would need to go into getting the notebook. He wasn't entirely sure how to do this, mostly he just talked about how great the notebook was, and its power to kill anyone. He also said he wished he had it to do in one of the guys that owed them. Rod didn't usually listen, sometimes he'd nod but usually he'd just sit there kissing Mello on the neck.

It seemed like a long time, but eventually Rod called all the guys together for a 'brief but important meeting'. Mello couldn't help but hope that it had something to do with the notebook. He sat laid back on the couch in the meeting room and waited for everyone to come back from their day's work. Once everyone had arrived Rod stood up and announced that they would be taking the notebook. Mello's heart stopped at the words. His plan…had worked. He could hardly keep a straight face as Rod told the group how they would get the notebook. He listened, Rod wanted to kidnap the executive director of the Japanese police force and hold him ransom. It could work…it probably wouldn't though. In the grand picture the director's life was of no interest to Kira, or any of the people he's faking for.

"They won't do it." He finally spoke.

Rod turned around and looked at him, his eyes narrowing. "What did you say?"

"I said it won't work."

"And what makes you so sure?" Rod asked moving closer.

Mello's heart started beating a little faster, but for once in his life he couldn't falter. "I-I just thought that-"

Rod reached out a hand and slapped him across the face. The force was so hard that it echoed in the room and sent Mello off the couch to the floor.

"Need I remind you of your pitiful place here, in front of everyone? I let you join because you were hot and violent, you stayed for the same reasons. I don't care who trained you or how smart you are, you're my bitch, you will always be my bitch so sit back down shut up and listen to how this is going down."

Mello stood up and sat back down on the couch. There were tears in his eyes but he wouldn't let them fall. He sat head down, listening to Rod talk about their plan. Their plan that wouldn't work.

That night he packed all of his things into the duffle bag he came with and left. He walked into town and found the library and camped out in the same alleyway he did last time.

In the morning he entered the building and found the computer farthest away from any doors or windows. He needed more information about the case, and the task force. He looked through as many files as he could without much prevail. He wished he was better at hacking. There were three specialized courses that they all had to take. Deductive/Inductive reasoning, Psychology, and Hacking. He and Near were at the top of two of these courses: Deductive/Inductive reasoning, and psychology. But when it came to hacking there was only one kid who ever scored above 95, Matt. The kid was a genius with anything that had programing, it's like his mind was designed for it. Some kids had theories about his parents being CIA agents and showing how to hack into government files as a kid, but Mello knew it was just because he hated people and had too much free time. He needed a hacker, someone that would access secret files and understand complex systems of numbers. Near probably had a hacker, and a good one at that. Hell, Near probably had a whole team of people that were specialized in areas. Near had all of L's benefits. _Yeah except people actually liked L. _He thought and let himself smile. He was scrolling through files of Japanese politicians which was not helpful, when his phone buzzed. Against his better judgement he pulled out his phone and answered.

"Mello." Said a monotonic voice from the other end, "I was wondering, where you have been and what you have found?"

"Near why are you calling me?" Mello squeezed his hand tight against the computer mouse in his right hand. "I said it would be unlikely that we would ever compare results."

"I know. It's merely an interest. I want to know what you're thinking."

"I'm not going to tell you what I'm thinking. You'll just use it for yourself. Never call me again." He was about to hang up, but Near spoke again.

"How are you doing? It's been a long time." He persisted, much to Mello's dismay.

"Fine thanks, and yourself?" Mello rolled his eyes at the answer he gave to this poor pathetic sheep every day at Wammy's."

"I've been alright, made some mileage in the case, I presume you have as well." Near said, almost taunting.

"Of course I have." He sighed, giving away his lack of motion in the case.

"It's not too late to take L's advice, Mello. I would approach you if I knew your location."

Mello laughed "Never going to happen."

"It's a shame really, Matt's excited about us all working together."

Mello's eyes widened. Matt? "M-Matt's there?"

"Yes he has been for three years."

Mello was shaking "Matt is not there."

"He is, and I would really appreciate it if you were too. There is no price too high."

Mello scoffed. "More like there is no price high enough." And then he hung up. He collapsed for a second and let himself shake and tremble before letting a few tears roll down his cheeks. He couldn't help but remember so many things. His father had told him once on a drunken rampage that everyone would let him down, even those who were supposed to lift him up. He had tried his whole life to nit believe that, or to not trust anyone at all, but he let Matt in, he trusted him, and just like his father had said, Matt let him down. He remembered how much Matt had made his trust clear, and he couldn't believe that he deserted him. His mind wandered back to several years before and to a certain insance where he first thought of Matt as a friend.

_He had done so well on that last test. Surely there was no way that Near could beat him. He crept into the common room, where Roger always posted the list, and he waited. Once Roger left, he bounded to the sheet of paper, and his eyes sped to the first place spot, where he did not see his name. Near beat him again, as if he should have expected something different. With heavy feet he turned to head back to his room. Somehow this time he was later to see the list than normal, as the crowd of kids coming in to were already there, rushing past him to find their name. He could feel himself shiver as he heard the other children talk about Near, and it went straight to his heart when he heard someone say 'L's going to choose him, there's no doubt.' Mello clenched his hands into fists, he was furious, and it didn't get better when he saw the small albino come into the room, looking tiered and uncaring. He snapped, his fisted hand went straight to the other boy's chest, sending him backwards. The sound of his punch silenced the other children. Mello walked over to Near, who was having difficulty collecting himself from the floor. With his hands still in fists, he drew one back, but before the blow was delivered, he felt a hand on his arm. _

_"Mello, no." said a soft voice that rarely spoke. Mello whipped around to see Matt standing behind him. He shoved him off, wanting nothing more than to kill Near. But again, Matt rested his hand and held back Mello's punch. _

_"Matt, fucking stop!" He bellowed._

_"Cut it out Mells. Lets go." And Matt grabbed him by his collar and dragged him out of the room. _

_Back in their shared room Mello was enraged. Matt had embarrassed him._

_"What the hell was that Matt?!" his face was red, he was yelling, and for the first time ever, he really wanted to hit Matt._

_Matt just shrugged and pulled his DS out of his pocket. _

_He yelled, "Why did you do that?" _

_Matt ignored him, absent mindedly smashing the same buttons over and over. _

_"Matt, listen to me!" He screamed, nearly in hysterics. "Why the hell did you do that?" _

_Matt paused his game. "You were going to kill him, you wanted to anyways. L would never pick a murderer as his successor."_

_"You heard them all in there! I have no chance in being his successor, not unless something happens to that little twat!" _

_"Mello, calm down. You put too much pressure on yourself. You're letting him win, you know that? You're too stressed to think clearly." He said, concerned._

_Mello was furious, "WHO'S SIDE ARE YOU ON MATT?" He yelled, hands once again in fists, ready to punch the wall._

_ Matt resumed his game, mashing the same buttons again. Without thought he replied "Yours, always."_

But he wasn't, not anymore anyways. Matt wasn't on "his side" he was on Near's. And that was the worst feeling in the world. He had to beat Near on the case, now for two reasons. He had to prove to both Near and Matt that he didn't need them. After hours more searching he was able to get a list of people who served on the Japanese police task force, as well as a few notations about their family. Both Light and Sochiro Yagami had connections to Sayu Yagami, Light being her older brother and Sochiro being her father. If he could get her, then the trade for the notebook would work. He'd just have to wait for Rod's plan to tank first.

In the centre of a large tiled room, computer monitors covering each wall, a small boy sat with one knee to his chest. He was playing with toys, and to any outsider, he would look as though he had nothing on his mind. On the contrary, Near had everything on his mind. He knew that kira was on the Japanese task force. The idea that kira might be connected to someone, rather than actually being there, was long deserted. So he went over the list again. The only one who seemed to fit anything was the "new L".

"Near, we have a problem" called Matt from right behind him.

"What ever would you mean, Matt?" he asked, turning around to face him.

Matt took a deep breath in, "you said if I help you with basic hacking, you would bring Mello back."

"Ah, so I did. But Mello will not disclose his location to me at this time." He held back a small smile. He was being bad and he knew it. Despite his advanced knowledge on toy robots, Near was not the best in computers. However he knew Matt was, but Matt wouldn't help him without gaining something in return.

Over the years at Wammy's Near had observed Matt's behaviour around his friend, and had drawn the conclusion that any feelings between the two was more than friendship, at least it was to Matt.

So he called up Matt and promised to help look for Mello if Matt agreed to hack into some files. But, he knew that the blond would refuse his location, and at this point was probably trying to make it impossible to be contacted again. So he knew that he could have Matt's help, and postpone finding Mello, until the case was done, or until Matt got smart enough to ask.

"I'm not going to hack things until you tell me where he is." Matt turned around and pulled a DS out of his pocket, within seconds the theme to Mario was echoing through the room.

"I don't know where he is, but I will look for him once you look up everything you can on any files that L might have erased at the time of his death." Near knew that Matt would not be able to refuse, even the slight possibility of seeing Mello again would be worth it to the redhead.

As predicted, Matt let out a sigh and placed the DS in his back pocket. He crossed the room, sat in the chair next to the largest monitor, and after cracking his knuckles he went straight to work.

* * *

Near sat, twirling his hair. Roger had promised him a team of people, and he had that. He had hoped that after a while Mello would come. After the first year or so he called Mello often, but his calls were never answered. He wondered what suspicions Mello had on the kira killings. In fairness to both himself and Mello, he'd have to admit that the blond had the capacity to come up with theories, as fast, or faster than him, however lacked the control to keep his emotions from faulting with his train of thought. Near had few emotions. It took something really significant to set him off, and once upset, he was able to control it, hide it, and keep it stored away at the back of his mind so as to focus on the task at hand. _Too bad he will not ever take me up on my offer. The chances of him comparing results with me are seemingly nill. _He thought , _I wonder what method he is using to gather information, if it is better than mine. _Near did like to beat Mello, he wanted to solve this case, so if Mello beat him to it, he would feel disappointed. However if they were to work together then he would feel at peace with himself, because then he would be doing exactly what L wished of them. Working together to succeed him.


	6. Mastermind

Mello stalked out the mafia base for several days. Rod was successful in kidnapping the deputy director, but was unable to make the trade due to the man's suicide. He watched Rod talk to the group about a new plan to apprehend the notebook, a plan that would never work. It was in that same day that Mello strode back into the mafia.

"Plan didn't go so well did it Rod?" He asked, his presence just being known.

He watched as there were several guns aimed at him. "You left." Rod started, "No one ever leaves."

"Well Rod, once I found out that your plan was going to fail which took all of three seconds, I went to the library to find someone else that could be held ransom." Mello took that time to reach into the front of his pants and pull out his own pistol, aiming it at one of the men who had a gun on him. "Figured you might need some help."

"Not from you." Rod glared, swinging a fist back and sending it straight to Mello's stomach.

He bent over in pain and was winded, but still managed to speak "I'm the most qualified and you know it."

"Look, Rod…he has a point." Irius spoke up. "If anyone can get the notebook, it'd be him."

Rod straightened himself out. "I suppose it's true. But we don't need him."

"Yeah Rod, we kinda do." Neylon tuned in as well.

Rod groaned. "Fine, Mello." Rod turned to him. "We'll do this your way."

Mello smiled. "See now, I don't know if I like that tone you just used, after all as your new boss…"

"NEW BOSS?" Rod flipped and lunged at Mello, before Irius and Neylon cought him. "You're out of your mind if you think that you're the new boss."

"Well see, you just put me in charge of the mission that is taking precedence over everything else that we're doing. Which," he paused, "by logical standards, makes me the boss."

Rod just shook his head, unable to say a thing against the point that Mello had made. "So as your new boss…" He trailed off, he could tell he would have fun with this , "I have some requests, otherwise I'll just leave again."

Rod groaned for a second time "Fine." He let out a long frustrated sigh. "What are your conditions."

Mello smiled. "I need you to hire a professional hacker to delete all my files from any court date, I was never in LA I never existed I never came here."

"Okay, what else?" Rod asked rolling his eyes.

"I need four dozen boxes of dark chocolate upfront and then two dozen each week after."

"You're insane"

"I'm not done yet" Mello interrupted. "None of you can ever doubt a word I say. I am always right, this is my case and I know what to do with it. Don't question me, just do as I say."

"Is that all?" Rod asked through gritted teeth. Mello nodded in response.

"To start we'll kidnap Sayu Yagami. Daughter of Sochiro and sister of Light. If she is killed by Kira as was the deputy director, then we will find someone else."

"But the task force won't trade the notebook, they wouldn't for the director."

"Because the deputy director's life is of no interest to Kira, and is of little interest to the people he surrounds himself with. Why hand over your killing tool if you don't have to. By taking someone closer to one of the members, it pressures kira to either trade his notebook, or to kill the victim." He explained. "We'll hide Sayu in the drug trade in the desert, Sochiro will likely be the one to make the exchange, someone will write a name in the book, to be sure that they brought us the real thing. Irius, you went to medical school for a while, yes?"

"I did, but I don't see how that-"

"You'll preform a quick autopsy, clarify that the cause of death is a heart attack."

"The plan should take course over two or so weeks." He clarified. After confirming everyone with their role in the apprehension of the notebook, he stood up and went downstairs.

"Mello." Approached Rod.

"What is it you want?" Mello couldn't help but feel a little nervous around the man.

"You know, I'm going to miss our evening sessions…" Rod let out a suggestive sigh and wrapped an arm around Mello's waist. Mello shook him off. "I could keep putting in a good word to the guys."

"Rod, they thought I was most fitting for this mission. We're not having sex anymore." Mello clarified.

"But Mello, I've just been through a shift of power, you know that stresses me, please just one time."

Without looking, Mello swung behind him and hit Rod in the groin. "Get out." He said through gritted teeth.

"Fine" Rod grunted, "But give it three days and they'll want me in power again. I'll keep you as the genius behind it…in trade for one thing, and I think you know what that is."

"I said get out."

Three days came and went and the plan was in motion. From what he knew Sayu Yagami was on a plane with Irius headed to the desert. He sat back in his chair and relished the moment. He dragged his tounge across the dark chocolate in his right hand and snapped off a piece. Everyone turned to look at him.

"Sayu Yagami is headed to the desert. Everyone knows their shifts?"

"Yeah boss we all do." Rod chimed in sarcastically, swigging a gulp of whisky.

"Great, Anderson, you're heading out today, staying until noon tomorrow."

"Yeah I got it, Mello."

"Good."

There was a lot of time to waist, waiting for the Japanese Police to arrive. Only about one quarter of his day was spent with business related things. He had to keep other operations running, so that no one could pin point them to the mob gang that held Sayu. The rest of his day he had nothing to do. He ended up taking one of the two boys that Rod bought for himself, took some cocaine and trying to see if sex with boys was better than sex with girls-it was- and he spent the rest of his time throwing away anything that was useless. He was down seven textbooks which he wasn't sure why he bothered to bring with him, and one super Mario DS game. It must have slipped in, he remembered stealing Matt's games when they got too annoying to hear. He missed Matt, he'd spent a lot of time thinking about it, but then he remembered that Matt was working with near. He put the game on the floor and shot it, fuck Matt.

It took another two days, but it all went so perfectly. He knew it would all turn out for him, and it was evident now, the sound of Neylon's rushed hand, writing the name of some gang member that Ross said it was okay to kill, not that Ross mattered much. Ross and Neylon and Irius were all just little pawns in his game of chess against Near. A game that he knew he was now winning. His smile grew wider as one of the people who he never bothered to know, dropped instantaneously. Then Irius, who had a medical degree, did a quick check, and confirmed that indeed it was a very unexpected heart attack.

"Thank you, Mr. Yagami. Thank you for the notebook, you are free now to leave" Mello broke off another piece of his chocolate, smiling at his new success. He could almost squeal, but mafia bosses don't do that. He watched the monitors to see Neylon hold the book up to the camera. It was simple, had a plain black cover with some white writing. He couldn't wait to see what it said.

"I'll be right back" he said to the boys in the room. "Don't touch the notebook, if you do I'll have my gun so far up your ass you'll be dead before I pull the trigger."

"Okay hot-shot we won't touch it." Rod let a small smirk appear on his face. Before either of them really understood what was happening Mello had him pinned to the floor, the barrel of his gun pressing into Rod's head.

"I have no interest in your life, this organization is run by me now." He whispered in his ear, "I don't care what I was to you but I expect the same amount of respect as you got. I fucked you enough to get here." His finger coiled around the trigger. "In fact when I get back I want your ugly ass naked and ready to blow me." He didn't feel any movement from the man underneath him, so he took his gun back and smacked rod in the head with the barrel. He shoved himself up and left the room.

Closing the door behind him and checking to see that no-one followed him he pulled out his cell phone and called the one person he hated more than anything.

"Hello?" answered the small albino.

"Near."

"Mello." He let out a sigh "I suppose everything has gone according to plan?"

"Yes, exactly."

"We could still work together you know."

"Not a chance" he smiled.

"L would not be proud." Near sighed through the other end.

"At least I'm doing shit. You're on your ass over there not giving a damn that he's dead and trying to go off of instinct." He yelled into the phone.

"I understand, you've not made anything unclear. But, Mello, I need your help. We could solve this case together, but not separately."

"I know what L thinks, but I cannot work with you."

"I understand. I think that Kira is the new L." Near explained.

"Why are you telling me?" Mello was angry.

"Goodluck, Mello. I will not bother you anymore." And then there was a long tone indicating that he hung up.

Mello wasn't sure what just happened, or why it did, but he didn't have time to think about it. He had a room full of men awaiting his order on what to do with the weapon they had just received.

He went back to the main room where Neylon sat with the notebook in his hand. Mello ran and looked at it, he couldn't believe it. "Read the rules".

* * *

**Author's Note: I may be posting a lot in because I've had these chapters done for a while. Also I wont have internet connection for a while. **


	7. Fire

"It's all over, Mello. Put your hands above your head."

He was at gunpoint at the top of their L.A building. It was all over. Yagami knew his name, so did Kira. The only advantage that he had was that kira did not know his face. But it would only be a matter of time before he was found. He should just go quietly with the police, there wasn't any point in running. But even though he knew he had no chance, he couldn't go down without a fight. It's all or nothing. So he raised both of his hands and pressed the control panel. There was a force that sent him flying towards the ground which he hit hard, cracking open his mask. At the same time the walls were flying outward, inward, down, and up, only to be replaced by flames. He was lucky enough that a whole wall of debris was formed between him and the Japanese Police. He was not so lucky when he was pinned under this debris, which was catching fire. His entire right side was covered, though he tried, he could not break free. The fire was crawling up his leather clad legs. He didn't feel a thing until it reached the skin just above his pants. He could feel the fire tear through his skin, and boil the skin upward. The fire kept spreading and as he let out a scream, he placed a hand on the cross of his rosary and prayed for the first time in years.

Matt lit a cigarette and continued on pretending to work. He wondered why Near even bothered to keep him around, he didn't do much. He hacked files every now and then, but the jobs were short and way underneath his skill level. He didn't really mind though, he had a place to stay, and an almost friend. Near didn't qualify as a friend, but he didn't hate him like Mello did.

Mello was the reason he was where he was. He needed to see him again, if for no other reason than to give him a piece of his mind. It had been four and a half years since he had seen the boy who was supposed to be his best friend. Matt was devoted and loyal, and considered them to still be best friends. But Mello couldn't just up and leave like that. Did he think that Matt wouldn't care? Matt had been in love with Mello since the seventh grade, they'd been friends every day before that too.

He had just beaten the final boss, so he switched the game and started a new storyline. He was about to get Kirby his hammer when the doors burst open.

"Matt. You and Linder are going to L.A. Right now. Don't pack there's no time to waist." Near exclaimed.

"What?" Matt asked through his DS.

"I'll call you and explain when you're on the way, there's no time right now." Near actually seemed worried, this earned a movement from Matt.

"What is it?"

"It's about Mello." That's all Near would have had to say to get Matt to run out of the door and leave with Linder.

On the helicopter, Near explained that there was an explosion, and that Mello was either dead, or in serious trouble. As soon as Near finished telling them the details, Matt crouched over in his seat. Mello was his best friend, he couldn't just be gone, not so fast, they didn't even get a proper goodbye in. Matt never got to kiss him. He was shaking the whole rest of the ride, and when they landed in L. A, Matt was off the plane in the blink of an eye, Linder not far in tow. They found a car where Near said they could and drove as fast as humanly possible towards where Near said the building was. When they started getting close, Matt could see a column of smoke. He shuddered. They drove up to the pile of rubble that must have been a building once. Matt jumped out of the car and ran into the smoke.

"Mello?" He called out, "Mello where are you?" He was looking through the rubble at his feet and coughing through the thick smoke. He kept calling out for Mello, and kept running. He was about to give up when he saw a glint of silver out of the corner of his eye. He ran towards it and kept running until he was face to face with Mello. Though it wasn't really Mello. The man before him was missing skin and was barely breathing.

"Mells?" Matt whispered. "You'll be ok…Linder knows first aid." He ran through the debris until it was loose enough that he could wiggle Mello out. "Hal!" he called, "Hal he's over here!" He took Mello and sat him up so that his head was against Matt's knees. He stroked the few blond strands that were left out of his burn and onto the side of his face that was still whole. "Shit Mells, what were you even doing?" he wondered out loud. Hal got there with a large first aid kid.

"Oh my god…" she breathed when she saw Mello. She got down on her knees and took off Mello's vest, the whole left side of his body was missing skin. There wasn't much she could do, they would need professional medical assistance, probably skin grafts. But Near had told them that he could no go to a hospital. She really wasn't sure what she could do, she was ready to deal with broken bones, but not this. She let out a sigh and took out the gauze and started wrapping it around him.

"Matt, keep checking his pulse, I need to know if he slips." She ordered and Matt obeyed.

"It's barely there, but I can feel something." He told her, worried about his best friend.

"I've done what I can do, we need to get a doctor to New York, we'll bring Mello there." She picked up Mello, knowing that Matt wasn't strong enough to lift him off the ground, and carried him towards the car. "Matt, stay with him in the back."

"No, you stay in case he gets worse." Matt hopped into the driver's seat and began the drive back to the plane. He was somewhat aware of Linder calling Near and ordering a doctor, but he was too focused on the road in front of him. He had never driven faster in his life, and would probably never drive that fast again.

"How is he?" Matt asked.

"Not any better, not worse." Linder replied, "Near's getting a doctor over there."

Matt nodded in response. He kept driving until he saw the copter. He parked the car and rushed to the backseat to help Hal with Mello. He looked at her, asking her to tell him anything about Mello.

"It's not looking too good kid." She explained, "I can't tell if was the initial force, the debris he was crushed under, or the fire, but he's in real bad shape."

Matt hung his head. He fought the tears that threatened to burst out of him. The helicopter ride was even longer, and it was spent in complete silence. When they finally arrived to the SPK headquarters back in New York, Near was waiting for them with a man in a white coat. Near looked worried, and Matt wondered if he was just putting on a show or whether he really did care. He knew that Near never hated Mello, but, he wondered if some small part of him was smirking inside. The doctor took Mello and brought him inside from the roof. Matt ran over to Near.

"Is that the doctor?" he panted.

"Yes, he's well practiced, we're trying to get equipment here, but he should be able to fix Mello." Near told him.

"Should? What do you mean should?" he yelled.

Near attempted to calm him, "Matt, it will be okay."

"How do you know?"

"I don't." Near replied. "Here, I don't think it's wise for you to see him right now. If anything happens I'll let you know."

"You can't keep me away from him!" Matt clenched his fists.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Matt." Near explained. "Just wait in your game room. I don't want you to worry too much, it could phase the doctor."

Matt nodded and left to his game room. Once the door was closed he curled up into a ball and cried.

He could've been crying for hours by the time Near walked in.

"The skin grafts went well, Dr. Brady said he should make a full recovery." Near paused. "Are you crying?"

Matt wiped away tears, "Just because you're a robot doesn't mean that no one else feels emotions."

Near just smiled, "He's in the basement infirmary. You can see him now."

Matt was off the bed in a flash and ran to the basement. Mello was unconscious, but breathing steadily, and his heart was beating. Matt sat down on the edge of his bed and took his hand.

"I know you don't like it when I care, but, I'm here." Matt whispered to him. He smiled. "Last time you were in an infirmary we were at Wammy's. Remember? I had Mono and you came by to visit me. I guess that doesn't really count, but technically.." Matt stopped himself realizing that he was talking mostly to himself. There were too many things running through his mind, and he didn't want to say too much. But he felt one thing needed to be said, "Get better Mels, I love you." Matt leaned forward and gently kissed his unburned cheek.

* * *

**Author's Note: I hope you like it. MattXMello fluff!**


	8. SPK

To his surprise, Mello woke up. Part of him thought that he must still be caught in debris, on fire, he opened his mouth to scream, but then opened his eyes and realized he was in a hospital. It seemed strange to him that he was the only patient there. Then he felt a soft pressure on his hand and heard someone else breathing. He jumped, pain shooting through his body as he did so. He looked over and saw a man about his age. He was not particularly tall but not short, and thin, he had dark red hair, a slender face and pale skin. He wore goggles and a black and white striped shirt with a fluffy vest. If it weren't for his sense of fashion, he'd be hot. He was asleep, and looked as if he'd been there for a while. A thousand questions popped through his head in probably the wrong order: "Why is he holding my hand?", "Who is he?", "Wait, where am I?".

The doors opened up and a boy walked through, making almost no sound.

"Mello, you're awake. How wonderful" Mello knew who it was, and he wanted to get out, but he moved and pain shot through him again.

"Why are you here?" Mello asked hate in his voice.

"I came to get Matt. He hasn't left in days. Oh he fell asleep."

That was Matt? No, the last time Mello had seen Matt was in class the day he left over four years ago. Back then Matt was less than five foot five, and now he must have been approaching five foot nine. He had a chubby baby face that was covered in freckles, his hair was fire red, and his style was very different.

"Mello, people change a lot in four years." Near told him sensing his train of thought.

"Never mind that, where am I?"

"After the building exploded I sent Matt and Linder to collect you from the damage. You were really hurt so I sought medical help."

"You took me to a hospital?" Mello yelled, Matt still not stirring. "You idiot! Hospitals keep records, if I'm in their records, Kira can find me!"

"I didn't take you to a hospital, you're in my New York building. I hired a doctor who's been retired for three years." Near explained.

"Why am I here? Why did you bring me here?"

"I thought you would change your mind." Near said hopefully.

Mello laughed. "I've been the lowest of the low for four years, I've moved my way up until I took power of an organization of over 100 men, dealing with international affairs-"

"-illegal affairs" Near interrupted.

"And I got the notebook." Mello shot at him. "You really think I want to be your bitch, you think I need you?" He laughed again, "You want me to bend over for you?" He started chuckling now, "You think I need you otherwise I'll die?"

"No." Near said matter-of-factly. "I'm not reckless, I'm not daring, If I had it my way Kira would confess. I'm lazy, I have no care or interest in this case. I need someone like you to help me find things."

"I'm not your bitch, I'm not gonna do shit for you." Mello retorted.

"But you already have. I know who kira is, and it's mostly thanks to everything you've done."

Mello couldn't believe it. He was ahead in the case, and somehow Near was still winning.

He reached for his gun, which was nowhere close to him. He growled. "I'm not just some tool you can use to solve your puzzles."

"I know. I just figured you were more interested in justice than I am. More interested in avenging L. You want kira caught-"

"-Killed." Mello interrupted bluntly.

"Killed…" Near agreed "I have no real desire for this case. You do. I don't want to race you, I want to solve this case with you, like L wants us to."

"Well, I'm sorry" Mello said sarcastically "But as soon as I'm better I'm leaving."

At that Matt snapped awake. "Mello, no." chimed in the redhead looking at him intently.

"What makes you think you have a right to say anything?" Mello practically spat. "You work with HIM now."

Matt slouched. "Mells, I'm sorry, after you left I…" but then he shut up.

"You thought you'd work with him? I knew it you were always on his side! I could tell, you always rooted for him." Mello accused.

"Mells, he hired me, in exchange to find you! Because you left!" Matt shot back. "You left me there all alone. You know I HATE being left alone. You know!"

"Matt, I had no choice."

"You could've talked to me! You could've called after you left. What the hell did I do wrong?" Matt cried. "What did I do wrong?" he repeated.

"Nothing. I just, I didn't want you to talk me into staying, or worse, to follow me." He explained, "And it still doesn't give you the right to work with the sheep." He added on with hate.

"I have the right to do whatever the fuck I want, and if you weren't crippled I'd punch you in the face that you burned off."

Mello was impressed, Matt had never stood up for himself before.

"I should let you two alone…" Near spoke up in the silence. He stood up and left.

"Mello, you know. No one else knew but you did. I never thought that you'd leave me." Matt was no longer angry but now upset.

"Matt I know. I know okay, I was there when you had your nightmares, but I thought since you were fourteen. Not a kid anymore. I thought you'd be fine." Mello was softer now too, not wanting to hurt his friend more than he already had.

"Well you thought wrong." Matt clarified.

"I've regretted it so much. But I couldn't stay at Wammy's, and I couldn't take you with me. I knew that wherever I went wouldn't be good, I figured you were better off at the orphanage."

"I wouldn't have cared."

"Look at me, Matt." Mello ordered. "Do I look okay? I can't take care of myself let alone my best friend." He paused again. "Getting to the top took me more than four years of shit that I would NEVER put you through. I'm glad you didn't come."

"I'm not. Those four years were hell for me too Mello." Matt shot back.

"Look, I'm sorry, but it was for the best."

"As long as you are sorry." Matt smiled.

"Yeah I am. But I'm not staying here."

Matt frowned. "I don't forgive you."

"What?"

"I could forgive you though…" Matt smiled.

Mello knew where this was going. "Matt… I don't want to stay."

"And I don't want you to leave again."

"Come with me." He suggested.

"Mells, no, you were right you can't take care of yourself, you're going to die. Let's just stay here. There's a few good chocolate shops close by. I'll bring you truffles everyday if you please stay here." Matt begged.

Mello looked up at his friend. He wished Matt would take off his goggles. With his good hand he reached up, grabbed the goggles and pulled them down, revealing Matt's stunning green eyes, which Mello could see were filled with pain. He'd seen them like that before, usually when talking about his parents.

His parents didn't really love him, so they took him to a park and told him to wait. He did wait, for a long time, but they didn't come back. When the police found him he'd been by himself for two days, wandering the woods near the park trying to find his parents. They were reported dead in a car accident heading to the airport on the same day they left him. The first time Mello heard about it they were both nine, Matt was having a bad dream and it was bothering him with his studies, so he went to wake him up.

He let out a sigh. "Fine. But I do expect chocolate."

Matt instantly perked up. "You mean you'll stay?"

"Yeah, I'll stay." He smiled back.


	9. Recovery

Matt and Mello spent all day everyday together through his recovery. It was shocking to both of them that nothing much had changed. Matt would still listen to Mello talk while absent mindedly smashing buttons on a controller, Mello still demanded chocolate, which Matt would leave to get. The only thing that changed at all was the nature of the friendship. Mello used to hit Matt almost every time he said something irrelevant, but now, he was in a hospital bed and couldn't move. He could hardly even enjoy his chocolate because of the effort it took to raise his good hand, so most times Matt would either feed him truffle by truffle, or hold the chocolate bar in his own hand while Mello licked and snapped away. Near would stop by and Matt would have to leave while they discussed.

"I think that kira is the new L, as I've disclosed with you. And I believe that L had suspicions on him all along. If I can get a member of the task force to contact me, perhaps they will tell me." Near explained.

"The new L slash kira is most likely Light Yagami." Mello started " Sayu Yagami was close enough to each member of the force for them all to know her name and face, but kira didn't kill her. As for the second kira…"

"That could be Light's mistress, Misa Amane" They contacted shortly after Misa went to Japan. Kira killed Misa's parents. Misa would also have the eyes." Near tossed back.

"Okay, so we're pretty sure about who is who, now what?" Mello asked taking a sip of water from his bedside table.

"I want to ask you about the notebook. Was there anything in it that is helpful to this case."

"You took your time asking that one." Mello teased, they'd been working for a while.

"Yes well, I hope you trust me now." Near looked at him expectantly.

"Two of the rules are fake." Mello told him.

"Why that's interesting…which ones?"

"I don't know, Sidoh, the shinigami owner refused to tell me." Mello sighed.

"If I may?" Near began and Mello nodded. "I presume it would be the thirteen day rule, as well as another. The thirteen day rule is too convenient and simple to manipulate in a way that makes kira seem innocent."

"Yes, I was thinking that one, also perhaps the rule about making the notebook un-usable, and everyone dying. If kira ever lost the notebook, on purpose or by accident, he wouldn't want it to get ripped up."

Near nodded. "Good thinking."

"Okay so we think we know the two fake rules, we think we know the kiras, now what?" Mello asked.

"Usually we break for snacks now. I'll send Matt back in." Near smiled.

Mello hated to admit it, but, working with Near wasn't as bad as he thought. He wasn't constantly getting put down, and his ideas were recognised and helpful. He knew he could keep up with Near, he always knew it.

Matt walked back in with a dark chocolate bar. He walked over to Mello's be and sat on the corner. He opened up the top and folded it down around his gloved hand. "Open up." He said softly, reaching the bar towards Mello.

Mello stuck out his tongue and licked away at the chocolate.

"How was it today, genius?" Matt asked playing up to Mello.

"Ugh, I hate that jerk. I'm going to kill him as soon as I can move." He smiled.

"You don't mean that." Matt said looking at him. "You're enjoying this, you seem happy. I think it's because you're doing what L wants you to do, and you know it."

Mello rolled his eyes. "I am not happy. I miss the mafia actually. I miss being in charge of people."

"Mello come on. You weren't in power, not really. You were in constant fear of losing power."

Why did matt always have to be right? "No, I had full power." He lied and snapped off a large piece of chocolate. He chewed it, and began licking the new corner. "Why did you start wearing goggles?"

Matt blushed as if he wasn't sure himself. "The screens here are brighter than the ones at Wammy's, I guess I just never cared to take them off."

"Cool I guess." Mello shrugged.

"Tell me more about your criminal record…when did you get so bad?" Matt teased.

"I think I became a bad boy the moment I joined the mafia, either that or when I punched near when we were nine, but I resent the fact that I was aware of my actions, so I plead not guilty." Mello smiled at him. "The record? I've told you about that. There was a drug trade and we got busted. They didn't send me to jail cause I was too young, they sent me to juvie. Once I got out they wanted to take me to a foster home, but I left and went back."

"What happened in jail?" Matt was intrequed.

"Uh…jail-like things I guess." Mello felt dumb, but seriously, what did Matt want him to say? " Except we were all younger. There weren't a lot of guys older than me, the odd one or two. Most of them were under 12 though. There were a lot of fights between the over twelve's. the kids were mostly just scared of us and had their own fights."

"Let me guess, you started most of the fights?" Matt smiled.

"I acctualy got out for my good behaviour, so no." Mello lied. Matt cought him on that.

"Oh come on Mells, I KNOW you." He teased.

"Fine, about ninty percent of the fights were my fault and I beat up a lot of little kids."

"Mello.."

"They stole my food and the guards didn't give me chocolate. Not until I cracked the system." Mello justified.

"You're an asshole, you know that?" Matt asked him jokingly, giving him a light punch on the shoulder. The contact sent shivers down Mello's back, a strange feeling indeed.

"I'd say it's one of my best qualities." Mello smiled. "So what have you been doing for four years?"

"Mostly, just hacking shit when Near tells me to." He shrugged. "Not that exciting." His face fell for a second. "I missed you a lot."

"I missed you too. I mean I tried not to think about it, but I did." And he wasn't even lying. He really missed talking to someone like this.

The rest of his recovery was spent with a routine. He'd work on some papers, then talk with Near. Near would break and Matt would come back with chocolate. Matt had a job now, he had to watch Misa Amane, an idea suggested by Mello himself.

"Shouldn't you be stalking Misa?" he asked when Matt walked in.

"No, she's writing a sad love poem in her journal about how light doesn't want to fuck her." He explained annoyed. "I swear if this girl is one of the people deciding who gets to live, I actually WANT to die."

Mello laughed. "How do you know she's writing a poem and not names in the book.?" Mello suggeste. "Go stalk."

"I zoomed in." Matt said bluntly. "If it means so much to you, I'll bring the iPad, and stalk from there."

"It would make me feel better." Mello smiled.

Matt sighed. "I'll be right back." He got up and walked towards the door, his hips swinging as he did so. Mello watched him walk. How did Matt get so hot? His ass was even nice.

"How Near even affords all of this…I don't even know." Matt trailed off, returning with an ipad that was showing Misa.

"I don't know. But he's lucky, you could be having to do this off of some nineteen eighty's tv that cant zoom in much." Mello shrugged.

"Yeah I guess, this thing does have good clarity when I zoom in." He let out a laugh. "Want me to read the poem Misa wrote?"

"Hell yes!" Mello chuckled.

Matt comically cleared his throat "The man in my life, the Light at the end of the tunnel. So why do you pull away from Misa? I want the light to love me, as I love him. He's so cute and every day I think of you my light. I think of us getting married, but why don't you love me? I want your physical love light. I want your-. No. No I'm not saying that." Matt sounded horrified.

Mello was laughing so hard. "Is she still writing?"

"Yeah…OH GOD I DID NOT NEED TO KNOW THAT ABOUT KIRA!" Matt screamed. Mello kept laughing.

Near came in. "What is going on?" He asked, worried.

"Matt…Is…He's reading a poem…by misa!" Mello said between fits of laughter.

Near smiled. "Let me see."

Doubled over in laughter, Matt handed the screen to Near, who took it. His eyes wandered the screen until his smile grew wider. He let out a few small chuckles and by the end of it he was laughing. Well, kind of laughing. It was more of a long lasting chuckle.

"She needs to brush up on her literary work." He said, sniggering. "Did you see her spelling?!" His eyes started watering and he too doubled over. "She meant 'You' but rather than spelling….she used the LETTER!" He snorted. "THE LETTER!"

Matt and Mello exchanged looks between each other. A look that said "What's with Near?". Matt was the first to let out a small chuckle at the albino's expense, and shrugged it off. Mello did the same

* * *

**Author's Note: That's all for now! Hope you like the Wammy Boy's bonding, and the MattxMello fluff **


	10. Japan

Eventually he did recover. It took four months but he was back on his feet. He and Matt were as close as ever, perhaps even a little closer. Mello could feel something different, but he couldn't pin it. Matt would touch him- a friendly touch on the shoulder- and he would feel it in his whole body.  
He pushed away his thoughts, and figured that now, was not the time to have a childish crush on his best friend.  
He and Near had come up with some plans, but none were put into action. They were waiting to see if one of the Task Force would step up and say who L thought was Kira. Mello had suggested illegally apprehending both Light Yagami and Misa Amane, and wait for the killings to cease, at which point they would be shot. Near thought his plan to violent, and not thought through, he argued that Kira could stop the killings, just to frame them. Mello had suggested cameras on Kiyomi Takada, Kira's spokesman, but Near had said that Mello was being irrational.

"You can't just wait for people to tell you who Kira is! If we stalk Takada-" He trailed off, "Look I'm sure she contacts Kira somehow."

"Mello we're too far away, there were already cameras on Misa Amane, but we don't have anything set up for Takada."

"Then let's fly over there and make it happen."

"Mello I can't just uproot everything and move overseas-"

"You're not trying hard enough!" Mello slammed his fists on the table. "You held me here because you knew I would to what EVER it takes to solve this case, and now you're chaining me up."

"I'm just saying you haven't thought things through." Near defended.

"I've thought things through, but you won't let me do what needs to be done. I'm going to Japan, you can come with me if you want."

He stood up and walked past Near, heading to the room he was assigned. He packed all his things and went to the computer room.

"Hey Mells." Matt chirped from behind a screen.

"Matt, I'm going."

Matt swivelled around in his chair. "Going where?" He looked concered. "You're not leaving the SPK are you?"

"Yeah Matt, I am." Mello clarified. "Near won't let me solve the case, we both know who Kira is, I just, need to think about it."

"Think about it here, where it's safe. Where you won't get blown up!"

"Do you remember what Near said to me when I first got here?" Mello shot. "He said 'I've pretty much figured out who Kira is, and it's mostly thanks to everything you've done'. If going out and getting hurt is what it takes to solve this case, then it's what I'll do."

"Mello I'm sure you two will solve it…just give it time." Matt pleaded.

"It's been months Matt. All we really need to do is find evidence, capture Kira. To Near the case is solved-"

"-But the game's not over." Chimed in the albino. "I was hoping to find you here."

"What do you want?" Mello growled.

"You're right. It is necessary for our success to re-locate in Japan. I just don't see how all of us could get over there without it looking a little suspicious." Near started. "You want all of us to go, but you forget that Kira knows who is a member, more or less anyways. Moving all of us he would know we were heading there for him, which is why I can't go. But Kira doesn't know you're here, Mello." He twirled his finger through his hair and smiled. "I propose that you go, as planned, except with Matt, and you will both contact me about your progress and we will continue discussing"

"What makes you think that I'll keep calling you?" Mello scoffed.

"Because you're enjoying this." Near smiled back.

Mello glared at him.

"So…are we going?" Matt tunes back in.

"Yeah. I guess." Mello sighed. "Matt, get your shit."

Near had arranged for them to stay in a small apartment in the Kanto region. It should have fit both of them comfortably, but with computer moniters taking up most of the space, there was barely room for one. There was one window that looked out over the city, it stayed open, so that Matt's cigarettes wouldn't stink up the room. The bedroom was the only room (aside from the bathroom) that was untouched by the monitors. Mello stayed awake most nights, leaving Matt to retire alone in the master bed. They had set up cameras on Takada, as he wished, and saw her and Light Yagami meet several times in her apartment. They appeared to be in a romantic affair

They appeared to be having a romantic affair, but Mello could read Light like a book.

"He's using her, just as he's using Misa. Both these women mean nothing to him, but he keeps them around, because they're useful to him." Mello explained one night on the phone. "Takada he's using as a public face, Misa, I think…going back to the first letter, Misa has the eyes."

"Okay, what makes you so certain? Why would Misa have them and not Light?" Near asked through the phone.

"The one thing Sidoh was good for…" Mello trailed off. "He constantly asked Neylon to trade for the eyes. Half of your remaining life span, in exchange for the ability to see a person's true name and death date. Kira wants to re-create god, if he's to do that, he can't give away half his life. It's just as easy to use Misa."

"I see. From what you're telling me, my guess is that it's no longer Kira who is actually killing any victims, but most likely the second Kira, being used as a puppet, her strings being pulled by Light." Near explained.

"Likely. What are we going to do to capture Light Yagami?" Mello asked.

"We aren't completely sure it's him."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mello shouted into the phone. "I dropped out of the race when L died because I thought you had already won! You're always so sure, just like he is, any uncertainty you throw out is just to look like you don't know yet. You know that Kira is Light Yagami, that he's using Misa Ammane, and that he will continue to kill until he is stopped. Why don't you finish the puzzle?" Mello asked.

"I've completed the puzzle Mello, I know the last piece. I just need to make sure that I place down correctly." Near told him. "Hold on, I'm getting another call. We'll discuss in the morning."

"Yes, fine. Goodbye." Mello hung up and slammed his forehead on the table. He let out a long drawn out groan.

"That musta hurt." Matt called from behind several monitors. "You okay?"

"Fine. I'm going to go get us some dinner, keep an eye on Takada while I'm gone."

"Mello no." Matt stood up. "You can't risk Light seeing you here, he thinks you're dead."

"I'll be fine, I could probably even trail him for miles before he even knows I'm there." Mello sighed.

Matt placed a hand on his chest to stop him from leaving. "If you're hungry I'll go get us dinner, you stay here and watch the monitors. He doesn't know who I am." Matt explained.

Defeated, Mello shrugged and walked over to the sofa. "Okay, bring back chocolate, we're almost out."

Matt nodded and left the apartment.

He came back in, an hour later, with a mixed box of sushi, five chocolate bars, and a package of cigarettes.

"Mell, I'm home!" He called out. When there was no response, he couldn't help but worry a little, so he ran to the monitors and found Mello asleep in the chair. Matt was worried about him, he was working himself to death over this case. He picked him up and carried him to the bed, tossed a blanket over his body and kissed him on the forehead. "Get some sleep Mells."

* * *

**Author's Note: I'm sorry that this one is a little late, my internet's been down so just getting it up now. Hope you like it. Reviews always welcome**


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